Jerusalem mayoral candidate Moshe Leon came first, but will have to compete in a second round. October 30, 2018.

More than 3.6 million Israelis (56% of the eligible voters) have realized their democratic right—and duty—and voted in municipal elections throughout the country. It appears that the 24-hour holiday declared for election day for the first time paid off, as voter turnout this year was 10% higher than in the last local elections.

Jerusalem: Voter turnout was 34.9%, but if we discard eastern Jerusalem – whose Arab residents boycotted the elections – the voter turnout in the city stands at 51%. After counting about 95% of the votes, Moshe Leon leads with 33% of the vote, and Ofer Berkowitz follows with 28%. The two will embark on a second round in November. The losers: Zeev Elkin (20%) and Yossi Deitch (17%). Elkin was magnanimous in defeat, declaring, “The results are clear, and in politics you have to know not only how to win but sometimes to lose. Whomever wins [the second round], I will cooperate fully with him as Minister for Jerusalem affairs.”

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Haifa: 45% of the city’s residents took part in the elections – an increase of about 11% from the previous elections held five years ago. After counting 42% of the vote, the turnaround is already clear: Labor challenger Dr. Einat Kalisch Rotem took 55% of the vote. Mayor Yona Yahav took only 37% and has conceded.

Tel Aviv: Turnout was an amazing 63%, up 12% from 2013. After counting more than half of the vote, incumbent mayor Ron Huldai’s advantage is clear: 46% of the vote, compared with 34% for his deputy, Assaf Zamir, who came in second. Leftist political pundit Asaf Harel, who entered politics for the first time this year, took only 13% of the vote. “I thank the residents of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, who gave me their trust in this election campaign, I’m glad that we have shown that a clean and proper election campaign can be conducted,” said Huldai, adding the proverbial rolly-sleevy: “It’s time to go back to work.”

Netanya: Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, who was under police investigation for corruption, nevertheless leads the way with about 48% of the vote. Former MK Yoni Shtabun (Habayit Hayehudi) is far behind, with 28%. Another challenger, Ofer Orenstein, only took 10%. Feiberberg won the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday morning: he uploaded a video supporting her and called on Netanya residents to come to the polls and choose her.

In Bet Shemesh there is a close battle between incumbent mayor Moshe Abutbul (Haredi) and Aliza Bloch (Religious Zionist), which is expected to be decided by the later-counted soldiers’ votes.

In Be’er Sheva, as expected, the incumbent mayor, Rubik Danilovich, won with a Soviet-dimension 91% of the votes.

The deputy mayor of Bnei Brak, Avraham Rubinstein, was elected mayor with about 83% of the vote.

In Nahariya, Zaki Sabag, who has been mayor for 30 years, was ousted by Ronen Manli.

In Efrat, incumbent mayor Oded Revivi barely won, receiving just 56% of the vote, and squarely lost the confidence of the younger Efrat neighborhoods of Zayit, Tamar and Dagan, which overwhelmingly voted for challenger Avi Hadida. Revivi’s list also dropped down to 3 or 4 seats (the final number depends on the soldiers’ votes which have not yet been counted), no longer guaranteeing him an absolute majority in the town council.